With an Instagram awash with the beautiful stylings of her home, we knew we would be remiss to not peak inside the living room of Catherine Heraghty, the mind behind interior styling company The Stables.
It’s one of those spaces that oozes style but liveability, a fine line to balance, especially when you have small children and an extremely cute dog! So when it came to styling her coffee table, Catherine knew she had to keep function front of mind. “You have to consider the material it is made from, how it will be used and the shape that suits the space best. There are some gorgeous oak coffee tables with beautiful oiled finishes, but while these look gorgeous they can mark easily. This is definitely something to be aware of it you eat dinner at your coffee table or have kids that are constantly hanging all over it!”
So instead she chose the Nord coffee table from Melbourne based brand Middle of Nowhere. Painted soft grey it beautifully contrasts the timber floor, which means Catherine can avoid the hazard of rugs, a bonus when you have unsteady toddlers. However, her favourite feature is the tabletop itself. “You can actually see the texture of the timber grain through the grey paint. I am a massive fan of introducing texture to a space no matter how subtle, it’s always the small details that make the big difference for me.”
When it comes to styling, a first priority is always a fresh bunch of flowers: “I love to style with flowers as they add a certain energy to a space that accessories can’t.” Then it’s all about layering. In today’s look (Catherine admits she changes her coffee table weekly!) there’s trays of different sizes, draped ceramic beads, coasters, design magazines, plus two new purchases, a blush mug and gold vessel from Zakkia. “I just love the unusual shape of both, they will be pieces I will keep for a long time to come. When you love something it will never go out of style.”
When styling your own coffee table Catherine recommends using items that have the same colours as other elements in the room. “I tend to use an artwork as my starting point when purchasing accessories for a space. I will pull colour from the artwork and select cushions and accessories for the coffee table to complement these.” Height and depth are also important, just remember to not have the tallest object obstruct the view.
For Catherine coffee tables are more than a pretty piece to brighten up the living room, rather they are vital to the space. “I think it is one of the biggest decisions you make for a living space. The sofa is the biggest decision and the coffee table is secondary, but it supports and backs up the sofa choice. It is really crucial to get it right to give a harmonious result.” So, no pressure!
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